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Do you find that you go through the day feeling sluggish,
bloated and tired? I do, a lot and I hate it. So I decided to think of natural ways to improve my energy levels...and hopefully shift a couple of unwanted pounds for the summer. Changing what you eat can have a massive impact on energy
levels, keeping you on a steady burn rather than careening through highs and
lows all day. There are lots of books and articles that give lists of foods
that are ‘good’ or ‘bad’, or trackers with points etc.

However, I think life is complicated enough, and I need something simple that is easy to follow, so I've stripped it all back to 5 fundamentals…. the basic principles to eating for a steady energy release, and a flatter tummy!

I bought a triple pack of patterns from By Hand London, one
of which being the Victoria Blazer (and another being the Anna dress whilst it
was still available on paper). I was drawn to the casual fit of the blazer and
like the three variations that you can create with the pattern, even though it
was rated above my skill level. I chose the cropped variation for my first
blazer so that I could throw it over summer dresses at the many christenings I
was invited to and also wear it with jeans for barbecues….and ended up wearing
it all summer.

This month’s Sewing Made Simple
magazine and my first print publication:

Clearly a notable feature to be mentioned off
the bat is an article written by yours truly! (more on that in a bit)

Sewing Made Simple is a
‘bookazine’ that is released every 8 weeks. It includes patterns and
dressmaking tips (and is particularly good for those of us just starting out,
wanting to make clothes that fit current fashion too). I like to look in
magazines like this one, and their sister publication ‘Love Sewing’, mainly for
inspiration and simple patterns I can actually complete. I was completely
surprised to be asked to write an article…writing for anyone other than myself
is something I had never considered. Obviously I agreed before they could
change their minds, then started thinking about how I would actually transition
from blog to print.

You can create fabulous photographs for your blog without spending a penny. Yes, for free. When I started blogging I had no idea how important, or difficult, it was to create stunning images to enhance content and engage readers. As you can probably tell it's something I am still working on! (Seriously, have a look at what I did a year ago to recently). I look a lot at what other people create online and try to figure out how they managed it. At first I was a little disheartened because a lot of what I see on popular blogs comes from bloggers who have come with amazing skills in photography, along with equipment and software that I'm frankly not able to invest in to the same level. I had to figure out some alternatives for creating blog images on a budget instead. Here are my 5 golden rules.

Hi, I'm Laura. Welcome to my journeys with modern, feminine dressmaking; pattern reviews, tips and guides for beginners. I'm a lifelong foodie, so you'll also find some delicious recipes and places to get that foodie fix.